ƒ The Forsakens Lament ƒ

"Life is a cruel joke, but whoever started it, they forgot to even finish it. And so, it must be finished in the same way it began" ~ Derelict Red

Wandering through an abandoned, crumbling city, wondering if this is where his life will end, the hero trudges on. The dismal cracked buildings around him reflect his visage: worn, hopeless, and forsaken. The abandoned city may well be his last sight. He is lost, starving, and has given up, about to fall to his knees from weariness. An appropriate place for a forgotten hero to die: this city of grey and neglect.

But before he can hit the ground, the hero notices a slight sparkle in the distance. His curiously barely outweighs his weakness, and he stumbles forward. Finally, he reaches the object of interest. A magnificent bridge spanning a rushing river, massive, stone pillars interspersed with statues of ancient heroes lining the sides. Noticing a slight inscription on the first pillar, the hero cautiously looks closer.

One day, they will all end.

Then it will be just us,

Standing on the refuse

Of this worn out species.

Burning away into darkness,

The sun will set,

And the last thing to be seen

Is the silhouette of the Forsaken,

All by ourselves:

The Lords of Desolation.

Welcome to Forsaken Hall.

The last line is scratched harder in the stone. What is this place? Just as the hero is pondering this, he sees a silhouette approaching over the bridge. He warily readies his weapon, but something about the figure is entirely nonthreatening. The hero feels the words he just read, ominous but oddly fulfilling, sinking into his soul. He suddenly realizes that this place will accept him for what he is, broken and weak. Putting away his sword, the hero walks towards the silhouetted man.

Where It All Went Wrong

We are abandoned. It is this emptiness, this realization, that caused our guild to come into existence. The world may look beautiful, and the stars may shine brightly, but what lies beyond them in that dreadful darkness? Many will point to the gods, the Almighty ones who created us; powerful beings hovering over us, unseen, guiding us from above the blackness of space. Many heroes hope that one day, their gods will reveal the answers, the purpose of life, and a beautiful paradise. Yet what if our own gods have no idea of what is happening? They have told us so. Like everything, they were created. They themselves did not create the universe. Somewhere up the line, past the old gods and the ancients, there is a missing link in creation. The gods feel this void, the same emptiness that humans can feel. They tried to deny it at first. They created humans and heroes to rule over, and built worlds and planets to hold authority on. All of this in an frantic attempt to claim validity and meaning. However, it was futile. They gave the human species something to worship, but they had nothing to serve themselves. Because of this divide, goddom began to fracture. Some gods became evil, and evil became their master. Some gods denied their brokenness, and tried to maintain order and goodness. And a few fell into bitterness and despair. These few gods and goddesses confided the great secret to heroes and heroines. The gods have no purpose. They have no answers. They have told us that there is certainly no paradise. The shortcomings of their gods broke the heroes' hearts. If gods hold faith in nothing, how can we?

For years and years, Derelict Red, the Artist, the God of August Creation and Beautiful Minds, waited. Agonizing uncertainty plagued him as watched for the Creator, desiring to paint his likeness. But no one fitting that position ever appeared. Derelict's artist heart, longing for purpose and design, despaired. His creative passion dwindled as he saw his art meant nothing. The grandeur and magnificence of his landscapes, the beauty and grace of his architecture, became just vain, meaningless pomposities in Derelict's eyes.

He languished, stagnant in his duty. Many other gods despise him for his poor resolve, and moved past him in their power and might. Some time later, a brief, violent conflict broke out between the gods. This battle was quickly disbanded and amends made, but Derelict Red made a realization. Humanity stayed intact, because gods carefully mediated them, and took care of them. Many even loved their own heroes, but few would admit it. But the gods, however, had no one watching over them. The hierarchy of Lords, rulers of Godville, had been abandoned.

Derelict Red came down and sought out his own champion, an artist like himself, and told the mortal his aching doubts, the heavy burden which he carried. Upon his moment of discretion, punishment was immediate for the faithless and weak god.

A Little History

Derelict Red, the instigator, was charged with blasphemy against the order of gods, for being weak and brewing faithlessness among mortals. Thriving off the support and worship of their heroes, the gods proclaimed Derelict Red guilty for reckless and devious endangerment of the natural structure. For the sin of doubt, he was banished from the realm of Godville, and into a separate, formless, and empty reality. His brother, Malik Red, was also banished for aiding and abetting, forced into sleep and buried deep under the ground. The few other gods involved were punished, but were pardoned shortly. All heroes who had listened to the dissenting gods were quickly culled, silencing any remains of the awful truth.

This was thousands of years ago. Derelict Red, in the midst of his prison, was still able to feel the death of his hero. For years on end, he was trapped in turmoil over the death of his hero who he had loved. Swimming in turbid darkness for a millennia, all he had was his guilt and despair, over his hero's death and over an empty existence. Derelict slowly changed, hate entwining his mind in the empty darkness. With all of his might and bitterness, the god created color in his pitch-black prison; sick, grasping, and devouring paint sprouted from his power. A twisted result of Ahe lashed out and broke into Godville, stabbing a mortal human and dragging the person back into the dark realm. From there, Derelict Red taught the human his own misery, and molded himself a new champion. Soon, after only a few years, the god had created a monster in his image. The Epitome of Misery was born. Derelict Red still could not escape his prison, but he could force his hero out into Godville. The Epitome had one mission: to paint his Lord's likeness over the land and weaken the barrier that held Derelict Red back. However, he was only one hero against thousands of gods.

The Reason We Bleed

Thus, Derelict Red commanded his champion to create The Forsakens Lament, a haven for all gods and heroes who loathe and reject the existence of their world. Against creation, against life, and against the universe, they can stand embittered and defiant.

This guild is for the the gods and the heroes that have given up on life, remaining empty and despised. It is for the apathetic, who don't care anymore. This guild is for the nihilists, realizing their pointlessness. It is for the bitter oppressed, straining for revenge. It is for the evil ones, who will show the world their power and malice. This guild is for the noble and righteous, who hate the cruel world for what it is.

In the end, this guild exists as a refugee for the stricken, a bastion against your persecutors. Our enemies, those who love life and hurting the helpless, may paint us as weak and hopeless miscreants, but that is their mistake. We are angry and hollow shells that will explode and drag them into our bitterness and emptiness. We are the Forsaken, we are too far gone for them to hurt us anymore. They touch us, and we react, making life itself forsake those who cling to it, and rip them down in our despair and hate. Selfish, treacherous, and irredeemable, the Forsaken are through yielding to our shame and the Blessed. The Lords of Desolation, the Forsaken, will last into the depths of Misery, and we will watch the universe sink with us. Into Hell, deep and endless, we descend.

If you join The Forsakens Lament, we will protect you. Happiness is not promised, but acceptance is guaranteed.

Joining The Forsakens Lament

We accept you as you are: broken, rejected, bitter, and angry. We will take your broken pieces and place them on our pedestal of despair, and celebrate your hopelessness. At The Forsakens Lament, we turn none away, and even the most stoically noble will soon be tainted by our pessimism and cynicism. It is a very simple process to join our guild, and we cheerfully welcome you as your friendly neighborhood nihilists!

You must be level 12 to join any guild.

First, make sure that your hero is not fighting monsters or dawdling in a town, but rather, morosely wandering (idle) in the wilderness.

Without worrying about canceling your current quest, command (Copy and paste) your hero to "join "The Forsakens Lament" guild".

If your hero has not yet abandoned all hope and rejects joining our guild, persist. If they don't respond, wait a good twenty seconds before resending the voice. They will soon give in and resignedly subject themselves to gnawing emptiness by joining our guild. The earthly news "Returning to quest", is an excellent time to send the voice.

An Introduction to the Newly Forsaken

Here are some things new members should consider upon entering our guild.

Upon arrival, the game dictates that you must wait three days before speaking in the guild council. We don't know why, but you can take this time to observe our desolate shenanigans. Once able to post, we would love to see you in the guild council. Being a forsaken, moody lot, we are very accepting.

Always watch out for guild change quests. Your hero will try to leave a few times. This is an annoying feature, but it does keep up a healthy dedication to check up on your charge every once in awhile in the game. Guild change quests are not common, but they tend to spring up out of nowhere. Once you reach the rank of Grand Master, these quests will end. You will be permanent. Unless you don't check on the hero and heroine for 28 days, whereas they will automatically leave the guild, regardless of rank. (Or fade from the entire realm.) At that point, you probably have other important things going on. They can be dissuaded and discouraged from leaving by simply sending a "cancel quest" voice command... you might have to whittle their urgent attempts to escape down by repeatedly spamming "cancel quest". It's a phase, they'll get over it. Friending Derelict Red will be very helpful, as he will obsessively warn you of change guild quests.

This is optional, but it is a fabulous way to support our guild. Copy and paste this symbol: ƒ. Then insert it into your motto, however you want. This promotes awareness and unity in our guild, outsiders able to see this and possibly consider joining us.

If you ever have questions or just want to talk, you are always welcome to friend anyone in the guild. I, Derelict Red am very open to receiving your friend invites, and I will talk, inform, or help gladly.

There are many features in our guild you can be actively involved. We have four different classes you can pledge to (Below: Classes and Fighting in the Arena), as well as a personalized quote (Bottom: RCS, Storytelling, and Quotes) from you that will be included from you if you write it. Make sure to send these requests into the guild council, or to a friend in the guild, and it will be implemented. Each class has a leader, and under Living Quarters, your name will be included.

And lastly, welcome to the guild! The Forsakens Lament is the last stop.

Fighting in the Arena

Two duelers defining an awkward stalemate: "Oh dear! It appears as though we have both stabbed one another. Egads!"

Many think that since we embrace futility and consider ourselves hopeless, we are weak. Our record proves otherwise. That we are broken only makes us more deadly; we have nothing to lose and only death to gain and only hell to give.

Of course, no style will be the same. Guild classes to come later describe unique fighters. Some will be reckless, others cautious; some will only value wins, and others will kamikaze into combat. Never underestimate the power of your voice in the arena. The hero, caught up in the dirt and grime of battle, may not hear you most of the time, but when it really counts, he will suddenly feel your blood thirst and ferociously slam into his opponent. To aid in your struggle against opponents, here are some helpful voice commands and stats to empower your hero:

Voice Commands

Attack, Strike, Smite, Kick, Punch: These all have the same effects of painful damage. Pair one of these with a punish, and your hero can unleash frightening damage.

Heal, Restore, Replenish: Many Psychopaths adamantly refuse to use encourage, but sometimes a little more health can allow more bloodshed. If successful, these commands can allow enough edge for your hero to give a finishing smite.

Defend, Block: These commands should be used carefully, inserted right before your opponents coming turn, or attack. An aspiring Titan might increase his ethos if he can negate damage with a successful defend or block.

Pray, Sacrifice: These give an extra boost of godpower. The best place to use this is when both duellers are down to low godpower, and a little bit of extra juice can give enough for another influence or more voice commands.

Statistics

Punish/Encourage: One heals, one hurts, but they can backfire or do nothing. Each has a counter until they backfire. One in six influences are certain to have a negative or no effect. If backfired on the first time, the hero can give five, successful influences. Count your successful influences for strategic dueling, and be prepared to take a backfire.

Voice Commands: These have a three in ten success rate, and are much more difficult to count. A good strategy, if the god has enough power, is sending a voice with every influence or no influence at all. Voice Commands are incredibly vital to a good duel. Sometimes they are frustrating, and none seem to work. When they do, though, they easily assist in victory.

There are other commands and categories to be found. Explore the world and find your own techniques. Develop your own, personal fighting style, and brazenly defy all who strive against us. Become a Forsaken.

Guild Classes

Within the Lament, there is quite a diversity of character, personality, and even state of existence. Guild members can join specific "classes" that they feel fitted to, or none at all. These classes describe many aspects of a member, not just fighting style, but attitude, belief, and many more.

The Nihilist: Your hero exists. Neither you nor him feel like doing much else besides that. You have accepted death, and it does not matter if you give it or receive it. So you idly spectate or just leave as the hero travels, gives or takes blood, and again, exists. In the end, do your efforts matter? No. Nothing matters to you. And we accept this attitude perfectly. Your mere existence is a vapor, and you are welcome here. The Nihilist infects all around them with discouragement and despair, just by being alive, they are an assault and insult against life.

The Psychopath: You are thrilled at the thought of blood. Your hero cuts and hacks in the name of pain, living for battle. A sadistic masochist who savors repeated punishment, the hero is easily goaded into a crazy, slicing frenzy. Not even caring about dying, this hero cares only as long as pain is given. You will revive the beast anyways, and there can continue the massacre. Losing his or her weapon in a fight, the hero will jump on the opponent and gnaw and scratch. Your win and loss ratio does not have to matter to you, only that your battle count is high. As long as you have sufficient power for a few punishes, the Psychopaths are satisfied.

The Dreadnought: Encouragement seems contrary to our guild, but this is simply not true. Some will prolong their heroes life so that they can maximize casualties, and this is a commendable goal. Your champion steps onto the battleground and steadfastly refuses to die. No matter how many times he or she is lacerated, wounds bubble up and cauterize. The hero brings despair itself to the enemy, and through your encouragement foes are discouraged. Imagine this champion as a hulking behemoth, slowly lurching towards the cowering life-lover, immune to any strength the opponent can muster. This style values outlasting the enemy, and whether win or loss, know that the Dreadnought will have sustained as much damage as five of our opponents could bear.

The Dark Shell: You deviously lurk in the dark. Your opponent gives a few encourages or punishes, then leaves, thinking that you are gone. But woe is them, for you sidle out of hiding, and viciously command your hero to strangle the enemy. Panicking, they will frantically call on their own supernatural. But the arrogant observer is long gone. Your hero laughs and begins to whittle down the isolated hero. Even when the enemy supernatural does not leave, this style is no less dangerous. The Dark Shell will fight as shameless assassin, and will scream out of the darkness to push the impostor off their throne.

The Pariah: Coming soon...

The Zealot: Coming soon...

The Nomad: Coming soon...

Guild Roles

You have heard our history, how we came to be. But our guild is not all about ancient history. Yes we were banished, yes life is futile, yada yada yada. You really need to enjoy your futility though; thus our motto "Exalt our futility". Here at The Forsakens Lament we have a lot of different types. Some find it hard to maintain happiness in the context of our guild's ideology (Life sucks, which it really boils down to), but you can still find inner joy in spite of your violent, homicidal tendencies or scarring, inner doubt. Just get out there, and meet some of your fellow guild mates! It's a big world out there, and a lot of maniacal psychopaths to share it with! If you need any advice or help, or just someone to talk to, contact one of the friendly, local Hierarchs in charge. We'll see what we can do!

Right now, we have several leaders and several classes. These can fluctuate and change over time, and there is room for promotion. No, not killing them, among ourselves, we try to settle things peacefully. However, the current leaders would be hard to depose of anyways. If you have new ideas for interesting classes or specializations, then bring them up in the guild councils or ask one of the current leaders. Names could be changed on popular vote. Unless we really like them. Then not.

The classifications are the same as the previously discussed Arena styles: the Nihilist, the Psychopath, the Titan, and the Shadow. This is due to the fact that most fighting styles will derive from the hero's character themselves. However, if this sounds too strict or rigid, do not worry. This is merely an attempt to have unity and cohesion among ourselves. Of course, many hero's will not find themselves exclusively one class. They may either choose the the nearest likeness to their personality, or they may entirely reject this notion and sleep anywhere they want, even the Grand Hall! This is perfectly acceptable. It might get cold on that marble floor though. The general idea is just that some people might not get along as well being roommates, like a righteous Titan snoring next to a maniacal Psychopath. Or a depressed Nihilist, in a sleepless existential crisis, next to a scheming Dark Shell, snickering evilly all night long! These classes help you find the most like-minded hero who you both can feel resignedly forsaken together. We are looking for the most beneficial synergy we can find, so that we can more efficiently enjoy our misery!

Do we really need to say any more than that incredibly long introduction in the beginning? Alas, yes we must. You won't see him here, but his champion, The Epitome of Misery, will speak for him. Sometimes. If he chooses to speak instead of staring threateningly at you. The Epitome came to this place, and built the guild hall from the ground up. We don't know how long he has been here, but he knows all of the guild hall and land's secrets. If only he would tell us.

Some of us have violently homicidal tendencies and depraved minds - please speak to Malik Red. Brother to Derelict, Malik Red is a true psychopath, the kind that you can never know to trust or not. A jolly, helpful chap, or be the kind to hide in the closet from, his intentions unknowable. Unconstrained by natural law, Malik Red goes wherever he fancies - rumors of him persist throughout the cosmos. You will likely never see him, but you will definitely hear him. Why has he never been seen? You only need to know that the few who have seen him, are now blind. Like his own champion, Wind-up Toy, raised after his god's heart. If you are of the twisted variety, Malik Red will gladly welcome you into his fold.

Soliloqui is in charge of the serially lonely and the Nihilists. For those feeling isolated and friendless, she provides shelter and guidance - under her care, members find respite and other like minded Nihilists to befriend. Soliloqui was originally appointed over abandoned heroes and eternally wandering, ethereal spirits, her purpose solely to keep them contained and in order. Far removed from the company of the living, it was a depressing job, seeing all those lost spirits drift about, and she quickly became nihilistically inclined. Liberating herself from bureaucratic dreariness, Soliloqui descended into our guild lands with a dramatic explosion, where she found a convenient home. Able to interact with her subjects now, the Goddess spends her time learning about life - be patient with her, for she sometimes still treats heroes and humans like pieces on a board. Her hero, Toten Seele, a depressed, poetry-spouting ghost she stole from the dreary afterlife, is also great company if you enjoy cynical platitudes and never-ending pessimism!

Cryptess is the Goddess of the Mausoleum and the Crypt. She is an impassive force of nature, and indomitable in power. Absolutely resolute in her purpose but mysterious in her intent, Cryptess maintains a stoic presence at the guild. Her nature is that of death, heralding souls along their paths and taking their life energy as a tax. The Goddess neither cares for nor dislikes existence, her only interest is the passing of life; she collects without mercy or malice. An absolute standard, Cryptess holds the cycle of life and death in her hand. However, something is causing her to lean towards death - a tip in the balance, the impartial Goddess becoming jaded.

Cryptess is to say the least, imposing. Laden with majestic, full body armor, her cold eyes bearing down, she stands many heights above any mortal, and this is only a diminished size for her. Championed by Forsaken Child, a hulking man with deformed and scarred joints, he constantly attends to his Goddess. Both of them, together and alone, hold deadly power, through death and flesh. Her duties as leader of her new Mausoleum at The Forsakens Lament, include leading the Dreadnoughts, gods and heroes who have a pendant for unyielding death, order, and punishment of those who resist the balance.

He comes from far away, attracted to the world of Godville through the teeming of it's souls. The Ninth successor to the Darkness, a malevolent force of soul corruption, The Darkest Ninth has allied himself with the Forsakens Lament, for a weakened, bitter world is easier to bend. The Ninth spent his first, many years festering and growing in the heart of his chosen hero, Dark Eyes, and has only recently manifested his form outside of the human's body. He is fully unaffected by the day, as his boon is the darkness within souls, unrestrained by the light of the sun. Wrapping himself in billowing, black, fog, he can appear and vanish instantly, dragging enemies into his black cloud. The Darkest Ninth will gladly emerge to any possible followers, and escort them into the expansive reach of the Darkest Shell. Be warned, once within, it is nearly impossible to escape the Shell. The Darkest Ninth will not let go easily, but you will always be welcomed in his Shadowpitt.

Malice Red is the sister of both Derelict Red and Malik Red . Originally, she was a Goddess of Darkness, but she turned to the noble light, bleh, for some reason. She resignedly left her former guild, Band of Rejects, which she fondly enjoyed, to come keep a watch on her troublesome brothers. Now, just because she stands against every single thing we value, doesn't mean you should be mean to her. She comes from a good, wholesome family after all, and there still is the chance that we can wheedle her back into the important things in life, such as pessimism and misery. Malice Red will spend her time here rolling her eyes at most people, and moodily trying to keep us from expanding our influence. See? We are already getting her spirits down!

A fearsome warrior, One of Paradox is the head dueler here at our guild. Her champion, Kuroraka, bestowed upon by her fearsome wrath, brings fear, pain, and some maimed appendages to the arena. If you have questions about how to become a mass serial dueler, please see her right away. Thanks to her extensive efforts, the possibility of attracting our totem monster has been reached and taken. Three huzzahs for One of Paradox!

A cute death goddess from another universe, Doyunomi came to our guild with as much sweetness as her cruelty. Or as much cruelty as her sweetness? Either way, she found her way down to the depths of the Forsakens underground caverns, fiendishly giggling. There, she happily gives her precious precious victims delightfully sweeeeeet confections... before she inflicts any pain on them by using the various torture devices, ranging from the simple to the absolutely complicated, readily available at hand. So when you hear giggling and screams in the torturer's cavern, you know Doyunomi is there, enjoying her sadistic pleasures. Teehee.

Once the first newcomer to enter our guild hall, Sir Nietzsche now finds himself with this prominent title. His duties as our ambassador are vital, namely, being classy, refined, and completely nihilistic. Through his reputable presence in Godville, he spreads the word of our desolate majesty, bringing the bliss of emptiness far and wide across the lands. Listen to his soothing voice, and behold, the opening to the end, the great nothing calling to you through the mouth of the god who killed divinity.

Some in Godville call it popularity, the measure of a guild's renown, but our guild relies on notoriety. And the divinity in charge of spreading our nefarious fame far and wide, is none other than Lady Chaotica. The Goddess came to ownership of this title and duty, through her malignant and powerful devotion to the guild - common guild opinion was entirely on board with her taking claim of this position. Lady Chaotica's extremely efficient methods include smiting, installing fear in citizens of Godville and strong repression methods for those who dare speak against her guild. Her impressive results stem from her ability to bring chaos everywhere she goes.

Silent Lamb came here a long time ago, and for some reason, has stuck around. Maybe The Forsakens Lament is the best place for her, but it will never be known. The Lamb is shrouded in mystery, but it seems likely that a curse or damnation of some sort has been placed on her. With sad, blue eyes that speak of unknowable sorrow, our totem's gaze is not something members can return easily. Silent Lamb spends her time running, not frolicking, around the guild, and inflicting the atmosphere with an ominous heaviness that will have you depressed and morose in no time. She's also our cook... It's weird, but somehow she manages it. Maybe in the future someone will relieve her.

Introducing Xablee, our resident, cheerful cook! She found herself one day in the darkest, gloomiest place she could possibly imagine. However, the fear and terror was not what caught her eyes, but the neglect of fine cuisine! Such a complete travesty. Instead of running away, she quickly set to work. Nobody knows how Xablee got here; after all, Forsaken Hall supposedly only reveals itself to the most miserable of us, yet here she is... Busily cooking away in our fancy yet desolate kitchen and already stuffing jello down our throats. You would think the wretches of the Lament would mind this, but hey, the way to the heart is through the stomach. And maybe we've gotten tired of lamb all the time.

Ventriloqu is tasked, by his own will, in keeping the histories of our guild recorded. Even the dreadful such as we must be recorded for posterity. These "desolate scrolls" demand special care, and this God attends to them most delicately - aside from ripping, scratching, punching out those embarrassing grammar mistakes made by the founder. But mainly, he makes sure the Forsaken stay relevant, updating our looming growth and progress among the world of Godville.

Nightmares come to all of us. They whisper to us in the dark recesses of our subconscious, turning our own minds into inescapable hellscapes. Melandre knows all too well that they can be overwhelming when the sensations become too real, too vivid. Those who wish to can come to her for counsel, advice, and if it is requested, removal of these nightmares. She will store them and document them carefully to watch for prophetic tendencies, and use the worst of them as a boon to our guild by turning dreams into reality for those who would oppose us.

Arachnaid has always been fond of poisons and venoms. He had watched, amused, as entire empires crumbled and civilisations erupted into wars because someone had been poisoned. So it comes to no surprise when his champion, The Venomous, ends up as a master in the art of toxins. As the Poisoner, The Venomous ensures that those that try to thwart the inevitable growth of The Forsakens Lament have more... pressing matters to attend to. Or at least have to wait to be resurrected by their gods.

Forsaken Hall

Forsaken Hall is our refuge and haven. This is our escape. It is very secluded, and the closest city is the capitol, Godville to the East. The building is divided into separate living quarters for the different classes, but they can all meet together in our beautiful common areas, such as the dining room and grand hall. Please, come in and enjoy your new home away from the world. Please see the color-coordinated map to find your way around!

Heaven's Gate

This glorious bridge leads you to our guild hall. Lined with archaic, gold statures and cryptic inscriptions scribbled on stone columns, Heaven's Gate is a perfect forerunner to our Guild. It spans one of the many branches of the Kraktor river, and is wide enough to fit twenty heroes abreast of each other. It is also quite long, nearly half a mile. The immaculately fitted cobblestones smoothly glide along the bridge, and carts can traverse over without the slightest bump. The bridge is an amazing feat of architecture, and this is evident in it's beauty and grace. The foundations and pillars of Heaven's Gate disturb the river and form an shallow bay around the guild end, and the size of the bridge creates many interesting places to explore along it's mighty length. Be careful. The river is strong, and the bridge itself has no railings; only the statues and columns balance along the precarious edge.

The Grand Hall (Gold, first floor)

The magnificent, Grand hall, what a beauty. This magnificent hall will bring you to tears as you enter our guild. With ornate pillars lining along the walls, sprawling, marble floors, and a vaulted, ornate ceiling, you will be taken aback by all the grandeur. Beauty and wonder is not taken for granted here, as the Forsaken must create their own in the midst of persecution. This Grand Hall is a great way to socialize with your guildmates as you cheerfully admit your deepest woes and bitterness about the universe. We have provided comfortable yet tastefully appropriate chairs if you wish to sit your tired, forsaken body down, and bemoan the awfulness of the world into the late hours of the night with fellow depressed guildmates. Be wary, thousands of paintings line the walls of the Grand Hall. They are all alive and watching you.

Several different directions can taken from entering the massive, metal doors of the hall from the east. To the left and south, stairs spiral down into the foreboding Mausoleum. Walking past these stairs, the doors to the Psychopath Ward will become available, and obvious by possible insane laughter ebbing out. To the right and north, stairs lead up into the sparse Nihilist's Attics. Farther right, a door leads to the gloomy Shadowpitt. If the wanderer enters the doors and heads straight ahead to the west, a climb up the majestic staircases leads to the kitchen and dining room. Several other doors and mysterious portals branch off the Grand Hall, available for future expansion.

The Stairs

The stairs were included just because they are so majestic! Wouldn't you agree? Imagine walking up down those marble steps every night, and walking up them every night! Ready to face the new day after eating a hearty breakfast? (A requirement here: you need your daily strength) Walk down the stairs, or maybe do a little dance and make a grand entrance. Guild members are encouraged to perform some sort of classy dance as they descend these stairs; research shows that this is uplifting for the moral. We included these stairs so that you might feel good about yourself as you bounce down them, ready to inflict sorrow and misery!

In a secluded corner to the side of the stairs, a giant, metal grate sits in the floor. Despite seeming like ordinary metal, the only being able to get through it is *Epitome of Misery*, as he sifts his body through it. Any results to force it open, will result in a godly backache, and any attempts to sneak through or drift through will result in a divine headache.

Dining Room (Gold, second floor)

At the Forsakens Lament, we have decided it is best to dine in style. Thus our artistic and elaborate dining room was commissioned, in order to entertain a healthy sense of self-respect and pomposity among members. Even the paintings on the wall seem regal and to be enjoying themselves immensely. We have yet to find a full time cook, but remain calm, through a combination of scrappy resourcefulness and strange processes, the finest beers and victuals are always available. It's mostly strange processes though. The Forsakens Lament is not responsible for any food poisoning. Anyhow, the Dining Room is a fine place to regale your guildmates with tales of your great sorrows and tribulations!

Spread with crimson tablecloth, the mahogany table in the middle of the room is gigantic, and could probably handle a goddess/god bar fight crashing down on it. It will always be large and spacious enough to fit all the beings within the guild around it. Don't ask how. The wall to the right side is an open serving window into the kitchen, where food and drink will be provided readily by our part time cook, Silent Lamb . Be sure to be nice to her, she has obviously been through a lot and does not take criticism well. A small mini bar sits to the far east of the room, where fancy cocktails with little umbrellas are found. Right next to it, feel free to walk out onto the balcony with your drink. A splendid view of Heaven's Gate and the Kraktor River will grace the eyes, as well some graceful chairs to rest the weary legs. For the climbing, restless types, the roof can be easily accessed from here, and is quite fun to explore and dink around on.

This is where all your victual delights, both bizarre and tantalizing, can be found. We feed our guild members well, evidenced by the delicious food here. Outsiders are always welcome to drop in.

Come in, come in, and partake of our taboo, exclusive menu, courtesy of The Forsakens Lament guild! After the proposed first immortals were banished to mortality and exiled from here, it became our priority to reclaim the fabled Garden of Eden, and make it our own, in a symbol of irreverence and defiance to those who have forsook us. Now, having the wonderful, exotic Eden under our control, we are able to export many of the divine and forbidden delicacies right back to our guild! We hope you enjoy our fine and desolate cuisine.

Torturer's Cavern (Far underground)

Doyunomi can be found down here, but you probably don't want to be found there. Located far below the Mausoleum, taking the spiral staircases farther underground will place the unwary in this terrifying place. Filled with all sorts of simple tools and complex contraptions, the Torturer's Cavern is the perfect getaway... If you are an aspiring sadist. Anyone else coming down here would be extremely unlucky. Water dripping down the cavern walls, sloshing, murky puddles, and skittering rats give this location a moldy, sick, and dank feel. And this is no normal dungeon prison. It is very capable of holding some of the most powerful gods. Once you enter the Forsaken grounds, you automatically enter a contract. This contract both protects you and restrains you as a member or visitor. Any serious harm meted against other residents will result in being dragged down winding staircases and dark holes, until the offender is bound, plastered to a wall, or locked in a sealed cage. From there, the wardens will leave you. Alone with her. Once trapped down here, you will be completely at the mercy and whim of Doyunomi. Her sadistic whims may abound, but you can be sure that her mercy does not exist.

Sparring Tower

A guild of vicious and fierce renown, The Forsakens Lament hones the ability to crush opposition and defend itself repeatedly. For this, we need a place to practice our skills. Here for this purpose, is the Sparring Tower. The tower is entirely destructible, but shrouded in a tightly bound state, which returns it to the original form it held before each spar. Holding battles between Gods and Goddesses, this tower is commonly decimated in terrifying rampages of power, and so must be repaired frequently. The forces bound within the tower allow for uninhibited power usage, giving way for truly vicious duels, but also protect the duelers. In the radius of the tower, nothing needs to be held back, as even the defeated opponent will have wounds sapped away and they will be brought back to perfect health. With this fortunate effect in place, the duels held here are incredibly volatile and entertaining to watch, especially when guild mates can flog and attack each other with no negative results. Containing numerous rooms and hazards, the tower is not a static, boring arena, but a dangerous, thrilling platform to use whatever methods duelers desire, whether that be stealth, smashing walls, or psychological warfare. The Sparring Tower is located out the front of the Grand Hall, near the River Kraktor and by the edge of Ridicule Forest. It is available when combatants are ready to duel, and our Duel Monger One of Paradox oversees responsibility of this tower.

Forsaken Turrets (Black)

These turrets surround Forsaken Hall, each providing a extensive, vigilant watch over the land. They are vacant, and available for taking up residence. The Goddess Malice Red currently resides in one, entirely closed to intruders. Maybe she can set you up with a nice, cozy, desolate, and cold tower.

On top of each tower, resides a singular abomination spawned by the Epitome of Misery, brought from the Abstract. These act as sentries, watching over the surrounding land and attacking if threatened. They range through all sorts of defenses. Some have cannons for heads, others gaping mouths, and more with slicing arms. The abominations' biggest advantage is that they are not alone.

Points of Interest

The Watchtower

This table is located by the wall in the Grand Hall, between the Shadowpitt and Nihilist's Attic. However, it can be summoned by guild members from anywhere in the hall. The table seems inconspicuous at first, but it functions as a life form map. Using the Watchtower, any God or Goddess and their ilk can be located within the Forsaken land. If you need to find someone, the table can be utilized to instantly find your target. Catching them or meeting with them is up to you. However, if a guild member really wants to stay hidden, they are divine beings after all, and can disappear off the map. The intention to remain hidden must be stated before the Watchtower is used to find anyone, otherwise, the table will see the stealthy devils and their location before they vanish.

The Watchtower is also a simple map. Any point within Forsaken Hall is contained within the table, with a helpful, red "You are here" dot. Some areas are impossible to reach however.

Epitaph Angel

This place, or large creature, exists in the Mausoleum below the hall. Unfortunately, outside of Forsaken Hall, it is not completely safe. Monsters roam the nearby forest, caves, lake, and city, and death is an incumbent possibility. Because of this, a foreign creature was invited from the great Abstract, and can be linked with the denizens of the guild. While most beings here can resurrect their own champions, the Epitaph Angel holds ties to each willing guild hero and heroine, and can resurrect their bodies within her metal wings. If the mortal being wishes to take these extra precautions, they must complete a simple acknowledgement to the Epitaph Angel, by merely touching her hand. This being completed means that heroes are safe from death; however, this only applies on guild grounds. Just be careful not to aggravate the angel. Resurrection is a sacred process for her, and any repeated and careless deaths will try her patience. You might find yourself waiting a few days to be revived after too many consequent deaths.

While being resurrected, the mortal will find themselves encased in the angel's wings, and slowly being reformed. Any struggles or impatience will garner even more annoyance from the Epitaph Angel; consequently, the unruly resurrected may be subjected to some small imprisonment, locked in her wings, before she finally lets them out. Once released into the Mausoleum, the risen will be as good as new. Make sure to pay your respects to the angel before leaving, she will be more likely to treat you kindly the next time around.

Living Quarters

The Psychopath Ward (Red)

The Psychopaths are lead by Malik Red. If you feel like this is the appropriate fit for you, then speak to Malik Red right away! He'll have you gleefully locked away in your own cell (Disclaimer: due to space shortages, we might have to shove more than a few in each cell) right away! Don't worry, we are joking, you guys will have your own keys. We do keep a deadbolt on the outside, though, just in case you people decide to spritz out. Which you do. A lot. Moving on! If you feel you are ready to socially interact, then feel free to visit your neighbor's cell and discuss your hobbies and other interests, like wondering how blood each other has flowing your body. It can be like a sleep over, except it's a dimly-lit Mental ward where complete Psychopaths cackle throughout the night! If this sounds great to you, sign up now! We would really like to keep an eye on you!

Disclaimer in effect: Each cell has to be split between two Psychos. Because, sharing is caring, but the most likely reason was in hopes that they would kill each other probably. Each roommate is allowed their own rickety metal cot and one creepy memorabilia to bring with them, such as a creepy toy box or a little raggedy doll that you can shout things at like "You're not listening to me Jimmy!"

The steadfast Dreadnaughts are under the Goddess Cryptess. If you enjoying trampling the weak and righteously purveying death, see her immediately. She has a tomb with your name on it! Oh sorry, we don't mean she is going to kill you; she literally has a room full of tombs for you to sleep in. The Mausoleum can be reached by descending down a spiral staircase and into the gloomy crypt. You can even get your name engraved on a special plaque and have it placed on your personal tomb! We just hope you don't mind the dim lighting and the general moodiness of souls who believe it is their purpose to bring devastating justice to the world. But anyways! Get out of your tombs, and go visit the other Titans reposing in their deathbeds! Who knows, you might make a friend. Tombs come with customizable accessories also. Speak to Cryptess, and she can get you a fully sound-proof tomb, to mask your claustrophobic screams when you get locked in at night! Be warned, mornings are hell down there, as nobody feels good after sleeping encapsulated in a cold, hard tomb. Luckily, you are Dreadnaughts, and you'll just shrug it off! Right?

This here attic belongs to the Nihilists, and is maintained by Soliloqui. The word maintained is used loosely here, as you can see by the picture. This is because Nihilists are sad and they do not really have the energy or presence of mind to organize their living quarter. The scarce furniture and scattered blankets on the floor represent what a Nihilist's mind looks like: bleak and barren. On most days, sun or rain, the Nihilists can be found slumped over, sitting on the floor and moaning dejectedly. Some might even be crying. Most, however, will just have a blank look on their faces. On especially bad days, they huddle up and seek any comfort they can from their gnawing emptiness. If this sounds great to you, and you desire to be dragged further into misery by fellow defeatists, trudge up the stairs into the Nihilist Attic. There will always be room on the floor for you to collapse, curl up, and sob. The Forsaken's Lament will take care of you.

As not to disturb their dark scheming and wickedness, the Dark Shells have their own pit with the Darkest Ninth. Nobody else but Dark Shells know what is down there, as nobody wants to jump into a dark hole. Plus the occasional sounds that drift up from down there are a bit offsetting. It is a very mysterious place, and if you like to be secretive and plot evilly, then jump right in! Hopefully you survive. It has been reported that when a Dark Shell skulks out of this hole, a wispy darkness can be seen trailing off their bodies. This is probably the result of regular group meetings that some Shadows have admitted to having, where they huddle together and collaborate on different strategies for corrupting as many souls as they can. If you want to get involved in a supportive peer group of heroes obsessed with darkness and calamity, join the local community and pitch in. Take a dive into the Shadowpitt! Disclaimer: the Forsaken's Lament does not take responsibility for any items or souls lost in the pit; it's really dark down there.

It is blocked by an large, stone plate. No one really knows what is down there. Only the Epitome of Misery goes down there, and a dimly-lit, wrecked hallway can be seen briefly whenever he moves through the plate.

Surrounding Land

Forsaken Hall is wreathed in a diverse yet mysterious environment. Forsaken Hall is located West of Godville, nestled between two branches of the River Kraktor. To the Northwest of us, the Jagged Peaks rise up. Immediately, the guild hall is surrounded by beautiful yet ominous geography, like the dark forest below, the strangely abandoned city to the east, and the foreboding, misty islands above us. Feel free to explore the land, but be warned. Many dangers lurk in the beautiful land around the Forsaken Hall.

Phantasm Caves

The Phantasm Caves form the beginning of the Jagged Peaks, and nobody even knows how far they go. The caves are predicted to run the lengths of the entire mountain range, and tunnel down indefinitely. The furthest exploration reported majestic sights, but apparently, it was also terrifying, as the lone survivor stuttered out when he returned. The soil is rich and abounding with color, and even a shallow adventure can yield discovery of massive caverns and amazing treasure. Of course, it is dangerous. They are easy to get lost in. Pits and holes, endless abysses to fall down, litter the caves. Those are the least dangerous, however. Something deadly is down there, and we have yet to find out. The aforementioned mentioned survivor died of a panic attack, before spouting about demon eyes and his friends shrieking in the darkness.

Ridicule Forest

Ridicule Forest is a beautiful, lush place. But when the mist rolls in, when it gets dark, things change. The strange name comes the rumors of disjointed voices in the trees. Heroes who have been lost here, and occasionally found, say that voices mock them for being lost. The whispers taunt and threaten, and worse, follow. Sometimes they know things they should not, as if squirming into your mind. It would appear that the whispers are more than just sound, as heroes have been mysteriously snatched from big groups. These are the rumors at least. No matter the cause, be careful in this forest; people vanish. If the mist starts rolling in, get out. If darkness falls, leave. See that path from the Psychopath Ward leading into the forest? Yeah, in general, just be careful in Ridicule Forest.

Abandoned City

How it came to be abandoned, is unknown. In all probability, the inhabitants left when Epitome of Misery arrived years ago. The buildings are worn down and dilapidated, yet everything inside is left strangely intact and untouched, as if they fled in a seconds notice. Vagrants may take refugee in the vacant buildings, and the wanderer from the guild hall may meet some interesting people here. This area is not considered dangerous, and is a welcome retreat if one wishes solace. However, a certain aura does seem to inflict this place, like that of bad memories and lost happiness. Often, our Nihilists are found here, walking solemnly through the ruins and staring at the grey buildings.

Frothman Islands

These Islands are quite sinister. Despite being beautiful like all the landscape around the guild hall, they hold a certain danger of death and disappearance. Something roams the land and water here, and many are suspected to have met watery graves here. Multiple incursions into the Frothman Islands have yielded no information. Rumors abound, but no certain evidence can be found of any creatures or beings located there. Visual evidence, that is. Standing on the banks of the Kraktor late at night, the water can be heard frothing and rustling, and they can be heard moaning. A word of warning: don't stand too near to the bank.

Riverpoint Observatory

Riverpoint Observatory is strangely, a cheery getaway. A sprawling, luxurious gazebo, its large, spiraling roof provides shelter from the rain and and sun. Open walls allow a rapturous view of the lake and the faraway Frothman Islands, and cooling breezes to refresh occupants. Heavy curtains can be drawn down and fastened, blocking out heavy rain and wind. An outdoor patio, complete with tables and chairs, stimulates enjoyment of the shining sun. An indoor bar caters to all alcoholic and snack desires, and all this makes the Observatory an enjoyable place. It is so out of place. Titans like to sit here and dream of times where life still made sense, sympathizing with others of simpler days. Oh, but there has to be something very intriguing about this place too. In the interior, stairs lead down past the floor and end in a locked door. Weird.

Madly Colorful Area with Question Marks

Don't go there. Or you will be dragged in and drown. And not die. Whatever it is, it is mainly underground. But it is growing.

RCS, Storytelling, and Quotes

The Forsakens Lament is very oriented towards stories and creation. Here members can express themselves with pithy quotes and snarky pessimism. A feature of our Guild Council is Random Chronicles Spotlights, where a member who has written chronicles is selected and mentioned in the guild topic. Helping to build members writing skill and their place in the Storytelling pantheon is a prominent goal here, and with the RCS, guild members will rate and give possible reviews.

Aislinga : "The glare and rhythm of my Disco ball, is my mighty fist. I will reduce all who oppose me to dancing dust."

Icecream Man : "If you are reading this, then you are blissfully unaware of me creeping up behind you..."

Nwhitecat 庙: "Why do you fear the darkness so? Is it the unknown that you fear? Or is it the beasts that lie within the abyss? Is ignorance truly bliss? Blind to the cruelties and horrors of the world. And to the demons which lurk in your heart."

Star Stuff 庙畜: "My heroine is on the verge of discovering an unrealized ability - to join individuals with a simple stone carving, unique to them and imbued with a special quality."

Zenthronex 庙畜: "The people I play hide and seek with turn out to be very good at hiding..."

Cassidy Knowles : "Life is not a battle among the best of the best; it is the fight between you and yourself."

Torray 庙畜: "Something as important as friendship shouldn't just be handed out lightly."

Rascal Flats : "Life is not waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain."

Nero Lord of Fear : "Reigning over all to see is just asking for someone to rise up and take your throne. One day you'll see when I'm on the throne and you're in the dirt."

Marcusanka : "No one will smile at a tear-drowned clown, nor will someone laugh over a moody fool.
So plaster on the smile and spread it around."

Crowsville 庙: "Cherish the darkest, bleakest Moments in life. For that is when we find the ember to reignite the flame of desire."

Poetic Dude : "With the hopelessness of life, one who hath groveled and sobbed in misery, come my dear and let us face this cruel reality in each other's embrace of false hope."

KamiKazzy 庙: "What's the point of being sane if we all live in an extremely insane world?"

Friedrich-Nietzsche 庙: "The difficulty in human life is not realizing its meaninglessness and lack of purpose. It is embracing and accepting that and realizing that there is nothing to be gained by fretting over one's existence."

Remembrance and Reminiscence

Our former torturer, she will be fondly remembered for the screams that she frequently serenaded our ears with; the screams of her victims, to clarify. Her appearance was one of the earliest here in our guild, and we recall her quick wit and savage intellect in longing that one day she returns to grace us. Rest in peace, Serilda Fallon.

Our adorable, funny, and exuberant Keeper of Kittens, she was dearly beloved in our guild, and even in her parting ways, is remembered fondly for all the cute brightness she brought to our dreary abode.

Joining our Guild RP

There are several locations from which you are free to start in, just mind the individual scenery and dangers of each place. You can find these in the "Surrounding Land" section.

If you want your character to somehow start out in an interesting way, for example, from deep within the Phantasm Caves, please contact Derelict Red 庙舟畜 to hash out the details. These areas are undiscovered yet, so it would be good not to assume what is in there.

Please keep in mind these Roleplaying Guidelines in all your writing, to keep this an enjoyable experience for everyone.

While powerplaying is never encouraged, if a player ever comes into the RP and starts seriously harassing other players or attempting to destroy the guild hall or surrounding areas, the land itself will become alive and either annihilate or imprison the offender. While not all destruction is discouraged in the RP as ways to create interesting conflict, it is highly recommend you contact someone in the guild and ask first. It would be quite fun if someone wants to have a violent entrance, but it will only work well through communication first.

For heroes mostly, death is very possible. However, they can be resurrected. For divines that are heedlessly reckless, grave injury or humiliation is also possible.

Locations of Goddesses, Gods, and heroes can be found under the Watchtower, a table that senses all deities on the lands.

Untouchables

Who are we? Well, that's not for you to know. We exist, that's all, and you will never touch us.

As of this moment, this guild is still being studiously and diligently constructed. Please do not rewrite or edit at any point without permission. We do have a reputation to uphold. Toodles!